Cricket has been spared a devastating quake – but, disturbingly, for the time being only. Make no mistake: the ICC edifice has suffered serious structural damage and the aftershock could make it worse. A temporary truce between the ICC and the BCCI is a tenuous treaty. The toothless ICC may have acquired dentures, but dentures have limitations when it comes to biting. And BCCI supremo Jagmohan Dalmiya has proved – the legalities of his modus operandi notwithstanding – that he is a hard nut to crack.

ICC's non-negotiable demand to have Virender Sehwag suspended for the Mohali Test has been accepted by the BCCI. The issue was not so much Sehwag as ICC stamping its authority. But Dalmiya has made some demands of his own - and has come away with something to show for his troubles. And while ICC may say, rightly so, that it is for the greater good of the game, the manner in which it was forced to do a hasty rethink on some contentious issues has exposed its soft underbelly – something that could come under attack by aggrieved nations.

The joint peace-declaration signed by ICC president Malcolm Gray and Dalmiya has given birth to the ICC Referees' Commission, which will examine and report to the ICC executive board on whether match referee Mike Denness followed the Code of Conduct, including the guidelines on the principles of natural justice in the Port Elizabeth Test.

If the commission does prove Denness had indeed erred, as most impartial and fair-minded people believe, how can the spotless reputation of Sachin Tendulkar, acquired over 12 years, be restored? How can the harm done to Sehwag be undone? The damages are irrevocable. Tendulkar already has a case, with Denness first stating that Tendulkar had tampered with the ball and later amending his statement to say that he was punished for failing to call up an umpire to supervise attempts to clean it.

In a voluminous letter to ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed on Wednesday, Dalmiya questioned, among other things, several of Denness's actions and the manner in which he has interpreted the ICC rules. But talking to The Times of India in London, Speed showed that he is not in agreement with Dalmiya when he said: "Denness will be cleared as he acted according to all the ICC rules."

Dalmiya has lost a wonderful opportunity to refurbish his image. If he had advised the Indian team to abide by Denness's decisions – however wrong they were – rather than inject anarchy by joining the emotional juggernaut in India, the BCCI would have enjoyed a tidal wave of global support that would have truly overpowered the ICC.

Sadly, Dalmiya took a populist rather than a prudent stand. Worse, he did so with methods that distanced him from many who would otherwise have been only too happy to take the challenge the ICC. Thanks to his intimidatory tactics, Dalmiya, like Douglas Jardine, will always be seen as villain, not hero.

H Natarajan is the senior editor at Wisden.com, India.

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